The comet known as Ison is beginning to take the attention of many, a bright cold ball made up of dust and space debris such as formed our solar system so long ago, now hurtling at speed towards our sun.

Hearing about the British Museum’s new exhibition,Beyond El Dorado, reminded me about the cosmic power of gold and how far it has been forgotten, when once it was the most important aspect of civilisation.

I would love to see the magnificent gold headdresses and ornaments of Columbian culture thousands of years ago, the lip and ear jewellery which covered the face in such a way that it looked as if the person behind the mask was a golden god, or shapeshifting into a major symbol of power – a bat, perhaps, or an eagle. Perhaps I will……..but I will content myself for now with remembering why gold was so important to the Columbians, and to many advanced civilisations not so very long ago.